I did it, I ran a half marathon and it felt fantastic! It’s been a longtime goal of mine to run a full marathon but logic got the best of me and I thought it would be best to try 13.1 miles before launching into the 26.2 realm of torture. I didn’t run for a fast time, but rather ran to finish the race and now I have a great time to compete against in the future.

I wish “making it” in Hollywood was as simple as training for a half-marathon but I keep forgetting that when you’re running it’s just you and the pavement but when in Hollywood it’s “you” plus many other people – - many of which you have no control over. Nonetheless, I am hopeful that I’ll cross “both” finish lines in the near future. I still believe that if I keep training, working hard and doing all I can then success is sure to follow. 

xo
Ang

Hit up The Colony in Hollywood last night for the Wilhelmina party.  Good time, great venue and a fantastically fabulous agent!  Woo hoo

 

I submitted myself for a non-union feature film, The Big Secret, and got myself an audition last week.  The audition went great and I left feeling like I left some good stuff for the producers to consider.  The good news is that they called me back on Thursday…the bad news is that they wanted me to come in on Friday and I was on my way to Oregon for a family reunion.  They said that they’d audition me this week and would call me to give me more details but it’s Wednesday and no phone call…  BOOO!

Second but equally as tragic is that my new fabulous agents at Avant Artsits Agency got me an audition for NCIS but it was scheduled for Monday morning and I was scheduled to return to LA in the late afternoon.  Unfortunately, auditions stopped at noon so I had to miss it!  I was SO disappointed but am hopeful that I’ll get another fantastic audition soon.  It’s pilot season and my wheels are humming.  My new agency also asked me to get a couple new head shots so here is one for ya – does it say laid back/hip mom?

I have been so busy that I failed to let ya’ll know that I booked another Under 5 on All My Children.  It filmed during the first week of August but it’s great to have another credit on the ol’ resume.  I also had the opportunity to work for three shows as an extra.  I’m always happy to work in whatever capacity I can and I was even more thrilled because I had the chance to meet Michael Nouri, aka “Nick” from Flashdance.  I guess I didn’t realize that he was a new cast member of All My Children but it was definitely one of my favorite star sightings to date.   He is incredibly talented and I could have watched him all day.  Soaps get a bad rap, but there are really some quality actors on them and Michael is no exception. 

I also met Bobbie Eakes a fellow “sister” from the Miss American system.  She was Miss Georgia 1982 so we had a nice connection and she was very welcoming, warm and kind.  All in all a great experience.  I play a “mysterious reporter” and my episode is scheduled to air on September 8th but you can see me that whole week as a featured extra at the black and white ball.  So fun, I look forward to a bigger role in the future!

I appreciate all of your encouragement and support as I continue on in my acting adventure.  I reached a major milestone this past week when I met with and signed with a new theatrical agent.  I am now the proud client of Avant Artists and will have the chance to work with the fabulous Chris Roth and Nina Vuong.  I met with them both early last week and we had a great connection.  They understand me and what my professional goals are and more importantly, are willing to work with me to build-up my resume so that I can actually get called in for some of the bigger roles I have my sights set on (i.e. Mariska Hargity watch out because I’m coming after your job next or anything comedic as well).  I am hopeful that this new partnership will bring a renewed perspective and energy to my work ethic and career.  Avant is a newer-ish agency, which means they are hungry for success and have a certain “fire in their belly” to succeed.  This mentality bodes well for me because, I’m not a big fancy actress (yet), and I need an agency that is willing to think outside of the box and collaborate to come up with creative ways to get ahead.

A big shout out to Mike Vaughn for setting up this meeting for me and to my lovely sister, Tricia, who is always always always willing to go out on a limb for me and help me in any way she can.  Her payday is coming.  I keep telling her that she’ll get the guest house when I make it big  

I’m going to enjoy this sweet time of anticipation, joy of finding a good agency and live in the NOW!  We all take life so seriously and tend to look at areas we need to improv but right now, everything seems just as it should be.  Oh, and it might not hurt to let ya’ll know I got another role on All My Children – - holla!  That’s right, AK got herself another Under-5 on All My Children that will be filming this next Monday!  Stay tuned and celebrate your victories!

Guess who gets to go to South Dakota next week?  I do, and I’m actually really grateful for the opportunity to do a little acting and get paid for it.  It’s a commercial that will only air in North and South Dakota and it should take about three days.  Every time I hear a “no”, I always know that a “yes” is just around the corner and this is my “yes”.  I also am a big believer that being on a set, regardless of whether or not it’s for commercial or film/tv, it’s an educational opportunity and a great way to meet people.  Frankly, I’m excited to see South Dakota as it’s not exactly a state that has been on my “top ten” list of places to visit but I always like exploring new locals and meeting new people.

A big shout out to Danny Hoff and his crew (Laura Molina and Anna Leigh) for their persistence and for getting me in front of casting directors so regularly.  I felt like all those jobs I was put on “avail” for and in the final two, had to eventually turn into bookings and I hope this is the beginning of many more bookings to come..

I was put on hold for two upcoming commercials and recently completed my newest hosting reel.

We’ll keep our fingers crossed that I get them both!  Also, let me know what you think about my newest hosting reel!

I’ve found myself often using the phrase, “living in LA is like playing the lottery and hoping you’ll get the one phone call that could change your life”.  I should preface this also by saying that I do believe one has to prepare and work hard so that when that one opportunity to arises, we are ready for the challenge.  Essentially, we are attempting to create our own “luck” through persistence and hard work.  Yes, there are always those actors who win the “jackpot” with an amazing agent who not only gets them auditions with top casting directors but also is interested in them enough to work together to create a plan of attack. 

I’d say that 90% of everything on my resume is through my own sweat, hustle and determination.  I’ve booked jobs through Craigslist, friends of friends and have even worked for free all in the name of building up my resume and reel.  I’ve even been known to work an occassional extra job because honestly, it sounds more proactive to be on a set where people make decisions than hoping I’ll get  hired while sitting at home, right? A big piece of the “game” is establishing credits and relationships and it has just been until recently that I truly feel like I’ve established both of these to the best of my ability.  I am now hoping to find a team mate who is willing to work with me to help guide and encourage me.  

I have done a lot of random things this week and it’s only Tuesday!   My friend, Sommar, asked me to do a testimonial video for a new electronic product from a major software company (signed a confidentiality agreement but you can probably guess).  I should be receiving the product soon and will film at the end of June.   I think it will be great footage for my reel!  Next, my friend, Lori, is working on a fantastic film, Sironia, and asked if I’d like to be an extra and I said heck ya!  Not only is it a rad film, I also think the director, Brandon Dickerson, is a wonderful person and I think I can call him ”friend” but I use the term losely as not to sound totally cheezy “Hollywood”.  Lastly, I auditioned for ”Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader” (no laughing….it was a very tough audition but I’ll take $250k any day).

Such a random beginning to my week but wanted ya’ll to know what I mean when I say that I ”hustle” for work.  Sometimes I find myself lured by the predictability of a career lobbying and government affairs and then I realize that I have a job in lobbying and it’s right here in LA (minus the “predictability” part)

All my best!

My good friend, Matt Fox, and I began filming a web-series, Judith and Judis: Life is Fabulous After 50 in December of 2008.  Our characters were developed in the advanced improv class of the fabulous Donovan Scott and we had such a great time working together that we thought it would be fun to take “Judith and Judis” to the next level – a webshow. 

What began as a simple idea with a video camera has evolved into something much more -  -  a web-series that gets better with each episode and a friendship between two good friends who happen to be actors.  I have heard that the best way to learn is to ”do” and much learning has happened under the guise of J&J.  We’ve learned the importance of good equipment, sound, editing and effienciency of movement.  Thanks to a good friend who happens to work at “E”, we’ve been fortunate to have solid editing and she managed to do an excellent job despite our poor quality of filming.  We now understand what we are looking for and what shots we need to make a good episode (close-ups, wide angle, reaction shots, Point of View shots, etc…) 

We also are beginning the process of editing our own footage (we can’t exactly keep asking our friend to take hours of footage and put together a coherent webisode for a measly bottle of wine).  Plus, it’s fun to learn and Matt just bought a brand new MAC (holla).

Producing this show has been educational on many fronts.  I have a much greater appreciation for the other aspects of “the industry” and while we aren’t exactly a “Saturday Night Life” sketch, we have greater understand as to what goes into making sketch characters funny and how to construct a successful episode (i.e. an arc, character development, conflict, backstory etc…)  For the record though, I think we could def. be a sketch on SNL.

This past weekend, we filmed our fifth episode and I think it is the best one yet.  It is entitled “Girlfriends Getaway” and well…let’s just say “girlfriends” is a different definition than J & J were prepared for.  We had the support of many of our acting friends and “friends of friends” as goes the industry.  Our fellow DuckTape Improv actor/friend, Tommy, who is also in the works to produce a feature film volunteered to film this episode.  Despite the bare bones camera and only one working body microphone, I think he captured some hysterical footage. 

I’ve heard some in the upper-echelons of the industry say, “don’t just put together a web-series” because you don’t have the expertise to do it well.  While I recognize the sentiment here (only put stuff out that is reflective of you and is high quality), I believe that the benefits of producing ones own series outweigh the slight possiblity that some hot shot director will see J & J and decide NOT to hire me because it’s not fancy enough.  I also do it because because actors (i.e. “me”) don’t like to wait around for some imaginary person to offer me a “job”.  I believe that the process of creating J&J has been one of the most educational and enlightening things I have done since moving to Los Angeles.  I have “learned by doing”.  Another cliche I have heard is that “90% of life is showing up” so I guess I’m wondering what will happen if I “show up AND write AND perform AND edit AND….”  You get the gist.

Judith and Judis isnt’ just about two fabulous older women experiencing Hollywood, it’s also about two actors who are anxious to learn and grow and experience success in Hollywood whether or not anyone pays us.  I’ll definitely let you know when this last episode is edited and up for viewing. 

Over and out~ Ang